Netvue Birdfy Feeder Cam Review: Fun But Wonky

Importantly, it’s a stable feeder, holding 50 ounces of seeds, with a pleasant perch sufficiently big for a couple of birds (in the event that they don’t thoughts the crowding) and a roof to maintain every thing comparatively dry. The hinged roof is made for straightforward refilling, too. Just slide it open to 1 aspect, replenish, and click on the roof again in place.

The Birdfy is mountable with or with out really drilling something—nice for us renters. I used the included strap to connect it to my balcony railing, however the firm reveals it strapped to bushes as properly. I like to recommend including the photo voltaic panel for the additional $25. It’s price it to by no means must cost a battery.

Netvue is a safety firm, so you should use the digital camera as an added security measure too, relying on the place it’s situated. There’s an alarm siren you’ll be able to set off—it’s not a piercing sound fortunately, however I nonetheless strongly counsel not doing that when little birdy ears are close by. The model has responsive customer support too, and you may even dwell chat immediately by way of the app.

For the Birds

The Birdfy isn’t all excellent, and the place it’s missing is a giant one. If you go for the $250 Birdfy, you get a lifetime of free AI identification. If you go along with the Birdfy Lite for $200, you get video solely, with the choice so as to add AI later for $5 per 30 days. A $50 cost for without end AI sounds nice to me, however that identification has an extended method to go.

I get largely doves at my feeder, however there are a handful of different little ones that cease by too. Birdfy typically identifies a chicken appropriately in a single shot, after which instantly calls it one thing else because it strikes round. In the pictures above, you’ll be able to see it recognized the identical chicken as a home finch and a pine siskin. These birds look actually comparable to one another, so I can perceive the confusion there. But typically Netvue recognized what’s clearly a dove as a cardinal. The solar blaring immediately into the digital camera could be in charge right here, and as you’ll be able to see it created a reddish blur that the AI could have been confused by. But nonetheless, that is the large and expensive advertising and marketing function.